Paresh Saxena appointed as Bihar ATS Chief

Patna: The Much awaited Anti Terrorism squad of Bihar is gradually taking its shape with the appointment of Paresh Saxena as its Chief. He is an 1994 batch IPS officer and was serving as the IG (Special Branch) till date.

The Anti Terrorism Squad would have close to 350 personnel who would be divided into various units. The Process of shortlisting officers for the Squad is undergoing. The State Police Department is also expected to appoint one DIG and one SP rank officer to ATS. There would be six DSPs, 16 inspectors and 38 sub-inspectors and other constables. It would also have a dedicated Police Station along with necessary authority over different parts of the state.

The Bihar Government has earmarked an yearly budget of Rs. 15.38 Crores for setting up of ATS. Bihar would be the sixth State to have an ATS of its own. Earlier, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kerala had formed their ATS of their own.

The Development of Bihar ATS has come after recent Patna and Bodh Gaya Bomb Blasts and the breeding modules of Indian Mujahideen in Darbhanga and border areas with Nepal.

The ATS has history dating back to 1990s in Mumbai. The then Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police Aftab Ahmed Khan, popularly known as A.A.Khan, formed ATS after bring inspired by Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) to take control over modern-day terrorism. The Maharashtra ATS has been involved in several high profile operations including Shootout at Lokhandwala in 1991 and 2008 Mumbai Attacks.

The ATS aims at collecting and collating information about anti-national elements working in any part of Bihar. It would work in coordination with Central Agencies, like IB and RAW in order to track and neutralize activities of terror-groups , mafia and other organized crime syndicates.